New Jersey Devils -- The Devils are the epitome of success. They are always competitive regardless of the circumstances they are confronted with and there are never excuses. Last season was no different and this season will see them competing to be the best in the League once again.

No goaltender wins more than Martin Brodeur and he will establish another goaltending record and be on top of his game.

The emergence of Zach Parise and Travis Zajac is a testimony to the superb scouting and development. The defense is unheralded, but capable.

Jacques Lemaire returns and he will always have the Devils prepared to win. The Stanley Cup is clearly in their sights once again.

New York Islanders -- The future looks promising; unfortunately that future isn't right now for the Isles.

On defense, Mark Streit is an excellent player who is not often mentioned in discussions of the top defensemen in the League. In goal, Dwayne Roloson and Martin Biron are very capable and their additions allow Rick DiPietro to work his way back to full health.

The path is very clear for the Islanders and while patience will eventually be rewarded, there is no fast forward button which can accelerate the process.

New York Rangers -- As one of the lowest-scoring teams in the NHL last season, it should come as no surprise the Rangers were looking for a game breaker. Entering the Broadway spotlight is Marian Gaborik, an explosive offensive player capable of providing the goal which separates a team from winning and losing.

Henrik Lundqvist is superb in goal and consistently keeps the opposition at bay.

John Tortorella emphasizes a constant attack, offensively and defensively, and isn't interested in playing a "safe" game. The Rangers are competitive and an opportunity is in place for their younger prospects to contribute, but the offense will have to improve if they want to advance in the playoffs.

Philadelphia Flyers -- In a city where declarations matter, I declare the Flyers one of the favorites for the Stanley Cup.

Paul Holmgren recognized that to compete with the top teams in the Eastern Conference, certain elements were necessary. Welcome to the Pronger zone. Chris Pronger is an elite player capable of dominating a game from every perspective. Adding him makes their defense one of the best in the NHL, which means their goaltending doesn't have to win games singlehandedly.

Pittsburgh Penguins -- No doubts exist about whether the Penguins' time is now. Those were erased with their Stanley Cup championship last June.

More importantly, the nature of their victory was perhaps more telling. Consecutive 2-1 victories to claim the Cup exemplified a team capable of defensive prowess. Marc-Andre Fleury was brilliant and ensures that the Penguins can be victorious in any type of game. Sergei Gonchar anchors a defense which embodies the skating and skill required to excel in a transition offense.

The offensive firepower of two of the game's brightest stars, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, is a formidable challenge for the best of teams. They certainly are a Stanley Cup contender, but how the replacements for Rob Scuderi and Hal Gill perform will determine if they can repeat.

Northeast Division

Boston Bruins -- Applying the lessons of past experiences to ensure greater success is the Bruins' objective. Tim Thomas provides stellar goaltending. Zdeno Chara is a pillar on the blue line. The forwards are a well-balanced group that provides all the essential elements to be successful. Marc Savard is a premier playmaker, David Krejci a superb two-way player and a fully healthy Patrice Bergeron is poised to return to the form that made him an emerging star.

Ryan Miller is a top-tier goaltender who provides a sense of security. The defense is mobile and adept with the puck. The forwards are capable of scoring, playing physical and skating, and they can make a game very uncomfortable for their opponents from a variety of perspectives.

The only thing which can hold this team back is injuries. It has been a "sore" point in the past and must be avoided this season for them to return to the playoffs.

Montreal Canadiens -- Last season began with high expectations but spiraled downward after Montreal hosted the All-Star Game.

Disappointing results led to change, and it was significant change. Jacques Martin brings a wealth of successful experience and the ability to coach a team to be a sum greater than its parts. Scott Gomez, Mike Cammalleri and Brian Gionta are all accomplished and the Canadiens have a long history of diminutive players -- Henri Richard, Yvan Cournoyer and Mats Naslund to name a few -- being prominent performers.

There is a nice balance of skills among the forwards and defense, but the key for Canadiens success will be Carey Price finding a consistently high level of play.

Ottawa Senators -- When defenseman Zdeno Chara departed Ottawa, the Senators went to the Stanley Cup Final. Senators fans are wishing for a similar outcome after the departure of Dany Heatley.

Bryan Murray addressed a significant problem area for his team with the acquisition of Pascal Leclaire at last season's trade deadline. A healthy Leclaire should ensure this is no longer an area of concern.

The additions of Alexei Kovalev and Milan Michalek give Ottawa more offensive balance. If Jonathon Cheechoo can find his scoring magic and Mike Fisher returns to the form which saw him emerge as a strong two-way player, the playoffs are definitely in the picture for Ottawa.

Toronto Maple Leafs -- Brian Burke has vowed to build a team which consistently competes for the Stanley Cup. The picture isn't complete, but is becoming clearer.

While still in the maturing stages, the likes of Tyler Bozak, Viktor Stalberg and Nazem Kadri represents Burke's blueprint of skilled, competitive, top-six forwards. The importance of Phil Kessel's acquisition can't be understated because natural goal scorers are often elusive in obtaining. Ron Wilson is a coach who successfully develops individuals and teams alike.

Scoring isn't an issue for the Thrashers, but goaltending has been unsettled and inconsistent, and without dependability in goal the playoffs will remain but a hope.

Carolina Hurricanes -- GM Jim Rutherford believes in the tried and true. Last season fans saw a rekindling of the magic from the Stanley Cup of 2006, so welcome back Aaron Ward in addition to previous re-acquisitions Erik Cole and Matt Cullen. The Hurricanes have nine players from that championship team and with the addition of Stephane Yelle with two Cups, they are a team with a blend of winning experience and some good younger players hungry to win.

Cam Ward gives the Hurricanes excellent goaltending, the defense is solid and the forwards led by Eric Staal are a challenge for opposing teams. They have the elements to compete for their second championship.

Florida Panthers -- Recent seasons have seen the Panthers close to making the playoffs and this season should provide similar drama.

Tampa Bay Lightning -- Five years removed from their Stanley Cup triumph, the Lightning has their sights set on erasing the memories of the past two seasons.

There is considerable upside with the additions of top prospects Steve Stamkos, who has the talent to be a premier forward, and Victor Hedman, with the potential to be the elite defenseman championship teams have. Vincent Lecavalier and Marty St. Louis remain top players and can be catalysts for a turnaround in Tampa Bay.

There is more than enough depth on defense and Mike Smith showed himself to be very capable of providing strong goaltending. Rick Tocchet will have them competitive and competing for a playoff spot, not for the top selection in the 2010 Entry Draft.

Washington Capitals -- The Caps have an attack mentality. They come at opponents in so many different ways that it is extremely difficult to stop them. Similarities to the dynasty days of the Edmonton Oilers are evident throughout their lineup.

Alexander Ovechkin is a force of power and skill and his engine revs at high RPMs. Nicklas Backstrom has the precise vision and puck skills to create offense when he has the puck. Alexander Semin is always dangerous and takes some of the scoring onus off Ovechkin.

Mike Green jumps into the rush as well as any defenseman in the League and creates challenges for the best of defenses. Semyon Varlamov showed the calm, cool demeanor necessary to win in the playoffs.

He's only 17 but he can see the ice so well and he moves the puck and goes to the open ice all the time, so I just think he's a player that is ready to play in the NHL. I'm really looking forward to coaching someone like this.

— U.S. National Junior Team coach Ron Wilson on Auston Matthews, the projected No. 1 pick of the 2016 NHL Draft